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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#248: From the Top

Often, one of the most difficult parts of writing a story is giving it a name. I've been known to agonize for days over finding the "perfect" title — because, like it or not, we do judge a story by its title. Those few words at the top of the page set the tone for what follows, and picking the right ones matters.

This week, I'm asking you to approach titles in a different way. Rather than writing your story and then choosing your title, we want you to start "from the top" with a just title and see where it takes you. I've selected some evocative titles from literature to inspire you — but don't worry, you don't need to have read the original works to respond to them.

This week's prompts

Write a story titled 'A Tale of Two Cities'.

Adventure – 33 stories

Write a story titled 'Paradise Lost'.

Angst – 70 stories

Write a story titled 'Desperate Remedies'.

Dark – 65 stories

Write a story titled 'The Wind in the Willows'.

Spring – 48 stories

Write a story titled 'Persuasion'.

Funny – 41 stories

Stories

“Paradise Lost” by Aleksandra Ludoski

Submitted to Contest #248

*The story touches on sensitive themes such as betrayal, addiction, self harm, despair, and emotional turmoil.* " For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more". ( Hebrews 8:12)Monday( 2:30 PM, Circle II)Once more,I awaken bathed in sweat, ensnared by a dream of you. The guide through infernal circles, where I've lost track of my place, yet know I'm astray. A familiar number summons, its voice wrenching my gut 180 degrees. As the phone rings incessantly, I steel myself against the inevitable confrontation, kno...

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“Paradise Lost” by Gregg Voss

Submitted to Contest #248

Sensitive content: Language. There was the world, an amorphous form of fallen humanity traveling a great and wide highway careening toward hell. But there were also those who were enlightened, those who had found the truth and built their dwelling on that granite cornerstone. Because of that, disaster would not venture near their tent. There was room for all in the kingdom, Pops had drilled into my head with count...

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“Desperate Remedies” by Naya Putryansyah

Submitted to Contest #248

My eyes follow the tick of the clock, my breath heavy with each passing second. The night was cold, and so was the air. The blunt breeze of the without chilled my bones, for I had let my bedroom window remain open. Clouds spilled a fair amount of its tears, the water hitting the pavement with dull thuds. Apparently, the raindrops also hit my roof, and so, the sounds it makes are deafening to my sensitive ears. Many minutes pass by; the tension is almost unbearable. The ache of my heart becomes much more conspicuous within every beat of it se...

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“Desperate Remedies” by Poe M

Submitted to Contest #248

“Here?”“Not quite. That side’s a bit wonky now.”“Do I go up? Down?” The art teacher squeezed the question around the roll of tape between her lips.“Like, a little bit of both ’til you get to the middle.” Her back was facing me, but I still thought wagging my finger would help. I was purposely being vague, but not to give her a hard time. I was just enjoying this frolic around the limitations of verbal communication. “What?” Ms. Falls’ voice and arms were noticeably shaking. She was losing patience and strength, and she was standing...

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“Desperate Remedies” by Ariana Dyer

Submitted to Contest #248

The night was dark, as most nights were, and the city loomed quiet and sinister around her. Boarded and broken windows lined the street, the occasional loose shutter moaning in the wind before clattering towards the pavement. The bricks seemed to be shrinking into themselves, steeling themselves against their abandonment. Every few blocks, a street light flickered, struggling against the smothering black and blue of the air. The moon, which sometimes gave the city a silvery, colorless illumination, was blotted out by clouds, and a cold drizz...

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“Desperate Remedies” by Ali Hamdoun

Submitted to Contest #248

April 2nd, 1896 Benjamin Cornelius Cornwell was blankly staring at the emptiness. At a void beyond their realm, it seemed. Sitting vegetatively, catatonically in Saint Jean de Dieu’s big day room situated at the ground floor. Where he spent most of his time. Gazing outward, northward, beyond the veranda-like bay window which offered a full view of Saint Jean de Dieu’s garden. Meanwhile an ever affluent agitation of personnel, composed of mostly nuns, sisters, kept the overwise nursery home-looking place somewhat alive. And God knows the plac...

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“Desperate Remedies” by Artur Kondratyev

Submitted to Contest #248

To lose a part of yourself is the greatest fear mankind can have, sacrifice that which you hold so dear. But the fear is not that what you will become. It is the emptiness that accompanies it. The vacuum suddenly filling up the hollowness with a breath of new life, flowing deep inside, taking form. It becomes you.In the waning months of the autumn, my brother, Aden, lay bedridden with failing breath. He sleeps through most of the gloomy, rainy days, waking up to eat with what little energy he can muster. Only our family physician helps him. ...

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“Desperate Remedies” by Ron Robinson

Submitted to Contest #248

A deluge of summer rain and hail pelted the skylight. Twenty-one cleared the last table and headed back to the kitchen. It was almost five o’clock, but the sky had grown increasingly dark. The strong winds were making travel difficult and it was unlikely that anyone in their right mind would be cruising the old highway looking for a place to eat. Most of the truckers and motorists on the Interstate would have pulled off at an exit somewhere closer to Amarillo. John Bradford, the owner of the roadside diner, suspecting there would be few if a...

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“Desperate Remedies ” by Timothy Motley

Submitted to Contest #248

Life was supposed to be good. She had accomplished her dream. She had traveled to exotic locations, driven fancy cars, stayed at luxurious hotels, partied at the most exclusive clubs. On top of that she was paid handsomely to wear the best clothes and use the best products. All of which had been captured and posted for her millions of followers. Her Nurv@na page was filled to the brim with smiling happy photos of herself. She wielded an ungodly amount of influence over young impressionable girls. She stole the gaze of every man. Yet, Rebecca...

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“Desperate Remedies” by Sabrina Williams

Submitted to Contest #248

Mr. Humphreys nervously adjusted his tie and glanced at his watch “We can begin shortly after your guardian arrives” he said to the room. Christian's head jerks up at that, giving the aging man his full attention. The intensity of their stare conveys a silent message between the two. I reach for Christian's hand “Chrissy, who are we waiting for ?” “Don't call me that” he responds sharply. What I silently mouthed as the door opened. I don't turn to acknowledge the people entering. The sound of cheaply made heels assault my ears. I'm not worri...

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“Desperate Remedies” by Robert Scott

Submitted to Contest #248

Mud flew into the air. Puddles splashed the bushes on the side of the path. The horse’s breath poured out of its mouth in puffs of steam, and in the saddle a worried father looked down at his son, bundled in blankets and still shivering. They were riding deep into the woods. The stormy clouds obscured the moon, and Edward could hardly see the path in the lamplight, but there was little time. He could not slow down. Through the dead trees, the flickering lights of a house ...

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“Desperate Remedies” by Darsh Mishra

Submitted to Contest #248

There was a woman who lived in small house in a busy town. She lived away from all the people though. They lived near a town up a hill. She was the town’s doctor. The town’s only doctor. She was said to never have a patient die under her care. They said she never got ingredients from other stores for her remedies. Some would she was a witch. She was evil and trapped to her land from a curse. The town people said she would cure them from a drink from her well. The people who drank it said it was the sweetest water they ever tasted. Little kid...

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“The Wind in the Willows” by Artha Julie Nava

Submitted to Contest #248

There's a certain magic that dances between the willows in Spring - a whisper that carries stories of lost loves and lingering souls. My name is Green, and this tale is mine. A confession of a love unreturned and a life unfinished. Here, in the rustle of leaves and the cool shade, I exist merely as a shadow, bound to the Earth only by the heart that beats for her - Jules. My story begins in the cluttered clamor of the New Orleans train station, where destiny first teased me with her presence. I was a boy of seven, dirty-faced from the stree...

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“Wind In The Willows” by Jon Harcharek

Submitted to Contest #248

WIND IN THE WILLOWS Let me tell you about Willow City. It’s neither. Oh, there were more trees once. Along with ten churches, eight bars and the VFW. Now scarred and scraped bare after the mines closed, there’s little left but bleak black coal hills and ghosts of gone businesses. Except for the “Outsider Inn” out on the lake— our only place left to get a beer, get lucky, and lately, get shot at. Or so the conspiracy goes if you listened to Lester LaClair that night he slid in, motor still running, snowsuit half-zipped, slurring “somebo...

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“The Wind in the Willows” by Jan H

Submitted to Contest #248

Freya began walking along the narrow dirt path that led to the open meadow. With every step towards the clearing, her heart filled with anticipation.“Freya, this way,” a woman’s voice called to her.It was Freya’s mother, Valla.Excitement filled her mother’s voice as she called out to Freya. An entire year had passed since the last time they visited. Freya waved and started running as fast as she could.The high grass rustled against Freya’s legs as she sprinted, her body filled with a rush of adrenaline, eager to reach the clearing where her ...

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$250

Prize money

257

Contest entries

96

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - May 03, 2024 EST

Won by Honey Homecroft 🏆

Title: Paradise Lost

Submissions must be between 1,000 - 3,000 words and will be approved and published on Reedsy Prompts within 7 days of the contest closing.

Read the full terms & conditions or check out the FAQ if you have any questions!

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